The Deck
There are a lot of things I wanted to do with this deck. I wanted a Ancestral Knowledge + Miner of the Iron Hills combo. I wanted Sneak Attack + Faramir + Ever Vigilant + Valiant Sacrifice. I wanted Erebor Hammersmith + A Good Meal/Ranger Provisions/The Long Defeat (as well as proving more Ancestral Knowledge support). I wanted Gandalf + Expert Treasure-Hunter + Protector of Lorien. And I wanted to see my heroes readying like crazy with Wingfoot + Shadowfax + Cram + Fast Hitch.
And then I ended up with a hot mess.
Not wanting to raise my starting threat, the main flexibility I had was in switching out Aragorn. Plenty of options to be had there! My first two attempts (one back in February and one last month) were simply tackling the quest with the same deck I used on The Ring Goes South. Fun, informative, but not wins. I then tried using Core Aragorn, focusing on some of the deckbuilding ideas I had for the Fellowship Event, but stalled out with a heavy location lock on stage 3. I became a bit obsessed about this and focused heavily on locations for the next build, returning to Loreagon. But I didn't go 100% in and maybe I should have. Instead of picking one strategy and really running with it, I wanted to mash up 3-4 complementary strategies. Other than crazy card draw (Expert Treasure-Hunter) and nothing to do with it, there was no strong combo focus realized. I think I was feeling the pressure of single-handed solo.
Going up against a quest with a single deck, the full burden for every element (questing, defending, attacking) rests on you. There are some fun, nitch little thing that I would like to give a shot, but I often worry about getting clobbered in the area my deck is weakest in. And Journey in the Dark demands that you deal well with all three of these areas (high-threat locations, high-attack enemies, and Archery). I made adjustments to shore up weak areas and in the process took away the power of any real combos or synergy I could have had.
There's a lot of "should've, would've" with this deck. I would have liked a better performance against the quest (with the Balrog either out of play or defeated), but I actually want to put this one behind me, take the win, and head off to the next build and the next quest.
Hot Mess for Moria
Heroes
Gandalf
Sam Gamgee
Aragorn (The Watcher in th Water)
Frodo Baggins (The Road Darkens)
Allies
Treebeard x1
Ranger of Cardolan x2
Envoy of Pelargir x2
Gimli x1
Bill the Pony x2
Faramir x2
Snowbourn Scout x2
Naith Guide x3
Bombur x1
Quickbeam x1
Elrond x1
Miner of the Iron Hills x2
Attachments
Song of Kings x1
Song of Wisdom x1
Shadowfax x1
Gandalf's Staff x1
Good Meal x3
Celebrian's Stone x1
Sword that was Broken x1
Steward of Gondor x1
Wingfoot x1
Protector of Lorien x1
Expert Treasure-Hunter x3
Events
A Good Harvest x2
Rear Guard x3
Word of Command x1
Secret Paths x3
Ancestral Knowledge x3
Frodo's Intuition x3
Sets Used
Core Set
The Hunt for Gollum
Conflict at the Carrock
The Hills of Emyn Muil
Khazad-dum
The Redhorn Gate
The Watcher in the Water
The Long Dark
On the Doorstep
Heirs of Numenor
The Steward's Fear
The Black Riders The Treason of Saruman
The Dunland Trap
The Nin-in-Eilph
The Antlered Crown
The Road Darkens
The Wastes of Eriador
RingsDB Link
Rear Guard is fun, but really should have been Sneak Attack with all of the high-cost allies I had. The Songs both came into my hand and never made the board, so +1 to A Good Harvest or +1-2 to Ranger Provisions would have been much more welcome.
The Journey
Card draw and high willpower was to be had in plenty this run-through. But, alas, I was not able to escape the mines before The Balrog's appearance. Not confident in my ability to defeat him, I ran for the hills and took my burdens with me.
Previous Campaign Set-Up
Attach Noble Hero to Sam Gamgee.
Attach Mr. Underhill and The One Ring to Frodo Baggins (The Road Darkens).
Add Anduril to hand. Shuffle Glamdring, Sting, Mithril Shirt into player deck
Add Gandalf's Delay to the staging area.
Shuffle Overcome by Terror into encounter deck.
New Campaign Set-Up
Shuffle Pursued by the Enemy and Shadow of Fear into the encounter deck.
Add Grievous Wound and Overcome by Grief to the staging area.
Player Set-Up
Set Starting Threat to 34
Draw (5; Gandalf's Delay): Naith Guide, Faramir, Expert Treasure-Hunter, Celebrian's Stone, Frodo's Intuition
Top Card: Expert Treasure-Hunter
Not totally crazy about this opening hand, wanting to see either A Good Harvest or a Song, but starting off with Expert Treasure-Hunter x2 bods well for me getting most things I want fairly quickly.
Quest Set-Up
Set The Balrog, The Great Bridge, and Chamber of Mazarbul aside out of play.
Add Doom, Doom, Doom to the staging area. Place 10 damage tokens on it.
Choose and add Darkened Stairway to the staging area.
Always struggle between getting rid of the four-threat location or the quest-stalling Mines of Moria first. Hoping to get a little progress on the quest right away, Darkened Stairway it is.
Round 1
My Expert Treasure-Hunters start digging up the gold. Orc-Chieftain comes out right away, limiting the progress I can get out at first and creating a frustrating situation where I need to keep him alive until stage 2 (or fight him again).
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (1), +1 Sam (1), +1 Aragorn (1), +1 Frodo (1)
Draw: Expert Treasure-Hunter
Top Card: Wingfoot
Planning Phase
Play (from top of deck): Wingfoot (Aragorn -1). Attach to Aragorn.
Top Card: Shadowfax
Play: Expert Treasure-Hunter. Attach to Sam.
Play: Expert Treasure-Hunter. Attach to Aragorn.
Quest Phase
Commit: Gandalf (3), Aragorn (2), Sam (4).
Total willpower: 9
Response (Wingfoot): Name "Enemy."
Reveal: Orc-Chieftain. Ready Aragorn (Wingfoot).
Total threat: 8
Place 1 progress on stage 1B (1/14).
Response (Expert Treasure-Hunter #1): Name "Attachment." Discard Shadowfax (add to hand).
Top card: Sting
Response (ETH #2). Name "Attachemnt." Discard Sting (add to hand).
Top card: Anduril
Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (9/10).
Travel Phase
Travel to Darkened Stairway
Encounter Phase
Engaged by Orc-Chieftain. Ready Sam.
Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Orc-Chieftain. Attacks! Frodo defends. Spend 1 fellowship resource (Frodo -1), exhaust The One Ring, and raise threat to 36. This attack will deal no damage. Shadow: Moria Archer (no effect).
Aragorn + Sam declare an attack on Orc-Chieftain, dealing 1 damage (5/6).
I'll whittle him away a bit, but I don't want to take him out quite yet.
Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 37.
Round 2
Progress is placed, the Orc-Chieftain is kept at bay, and the march goes on...
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (2), +1 Sam (2), +1 Aragorn (1), +1 Frodo (1)
Draw: Anduril
Top Card: Faramir
Planning Phase
Play: Celebrian's Stone (Sam -2). Attach to Sam.
Play: Shadowfax (Gandalf -2, Aragorn -1)
Quest Phase
Commit: Gandalf (3), Sam (6), Aragorn (2), Frodo (2).
Total willpower: 13
Response (Wingfoot): Name "Enemy"
Reveal: Darkened Stairway
Total threat: 4
Place 2 progress on Darkened Stairway, exploring it. Discard: Overcome by Terror (no effect).
Place 7 progress on stage 1B (8/14)
Response (ETH #1): Name "Ally." Discard: Faramir (add to hand).
Top Card: Secret Paths
Response (ETH #2): Name "Event." Discard: Secret Paths (add to hand).
Top Card: Song of Wisdom
Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (8/10).
Travel Phase
Travel to Darkened Stairway
Encounter Phase
No new engagements
Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Orc Chieftain.
Add Mr. Underhill to the victory display. Choose Orc Chieftain to not attack.
Discard shadow card (Deep Fissure)
Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 38.
Round 3
Gandalf takes some heavy damage (a Grievous Wound, if you will) but the Orc-Chieftain is dispatched.
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (1), +1 Sam (1), +1 Aragorn (1), +1 Frodo (2)
Draw: Song of Wisdom
Top Card: Secret Paths
Planning Phase
Play: Sting (Gandalf -1, Sam -1). Attach to Frodo.
Quest Phase
Commit: Gandalf (3), Sam (6)
Total willpower: 9
Reveal: Ancient Guardroom
Play (from top of deck): Secret Paths (Aragorn -1). Target Ancient Guardroom.
Top Card: Naith Guide
Total threat: 0
Place 2 progress on Darkened Stairway, exploring it. Discard: Moria Orc.
Place 7 progress on stage 1B, exploring it.
Advance to stage 2A. Add Chamber of Mazarbul to the staging area. Flip to stage 2B.
Response (ETH #1). Name "Ally." Discard: Naith Guide (add to hand).
Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (7/10).
Travel Phase
Travel to Chamber of Mazarbul. Search encounter deck and add Moria Orc to the staging area.
Exhaust Shadowfax to ready Gandalf.
Encounter Phase
Engage Moria Orc
Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Orc-Chieftian, Moria Orc.
Orc-Chieftain attacks. Frodo defends. Exhaust Sting. Discard (encounter): Uruk from Mordor (threat: 2). Deal 2 damage to Orc-Chieftain (3/6). Spend 1 fellowship resource, exhaust The One Ring, raise threat to 40. This attack deals no damage. Shadow: Deep Fissure (no effect).
Moria Orc attacks. Undefended. Shadow: Thy Are Coming! No effect. Deal 3 damage to Gandalf (3/5). Attach Grievous Wound to Gandalf.
Gandalf + Aragorn declare an attack on Orc-Chieftain. Deal 1 damage to Gandalf (4/5).
A bit risky here, but there are no encounter cards that will directly damage Gandalf in this on (optional is a different story) and I want to see this orc dead.
Orc-Chieftain is destroyed. Place 1 resource on Stage 2B (1/3).
Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 41.
Round 4
Locations are explored & traveled to and another orc is destroyed. No actual progress is made on the stage, though.
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (1), +1 Sam (1), +1 Aragorn (1), +1 Frodo (2)
Draw: Gimli
Top Card: Mithril Shirt
Planning Phase
Play (from top of deck): Mithril Shirt (Frodo -1). Attach to Frodo.
Top Card: Treebeard
I had some other plans for my resources next turn, but I think I need to make way for an Ent.
Quest Phase
Commit: Sam (6), Aragorn (2).
Total willpower: 8
Response (Wingfoot): Name "Enemy."
Reveal: Fool of a Took! Doomed 1 (raise threat to 42). Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (6/10).
Reveal: Moria Archer. Deal 1 damage to Sam (1/3). Ready Aragorn.
Total threat:4
Place 4 progress on Chamber of Moria, exploring it and adding it to the victory display (5).
Response (ETH #1): Name "Ally." Discard: Treebeard (add to hand).
Top Card: Mine of the Iron Hills
Response (ETH #2): Name "Ally." Discard: Miner of the Iron Hills (add to hand).
Top Card: Elrond
Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (5/10).
Travel Phase
Travel to Ancient Guardroom. Discard: Mines of Moria (threat: 2). Raise threat to 44.
Encounter Phase
No engagements.
Combat Phase
Archery 2 (Moria Archer). Deal 1 damage to Sam (2/3). Deal 1 damage to Aragorn (1/5)
Deal shadow card to Moria Orc. Attacks! Frodo defends. Exhaust Sting. Discard: Many-Pillard Hall.(threat: 1). Deal 1 damage to Moria Orc (1/3). Shadow: Moria Archer (no effect). No damage dealt.
Aragorn declares an attack on Moria Orc, destroying it.
Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 45.
Use Aragorn's ability to reset threat to 34.
Tough call on using this now or waiting one more turn. I would just hate for some strange combination to raise me past 50.
Round 5
The third enemy is defeated, but not enough progress on the stage to advance. Doom draws nearer...
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (2), +1 Sam (2), +1 Aragorn (2), +1 Frodo (2)
Draw: Elrond
Top Card: Gandalf's Staff
Planning Phase
Play: Miner of the Iron Hills (Aragorn -2). Discard: Grievous Wound.
Play: Treebeard (Gandalf -2, Sam -1, Frodo -1).
Quest Phase
Commit: Gandalf (3), Sam (6)
Total willpower: 9
Reveal: Shadow of Fear. Doomed 1 (raise threat to 35). Surge.
Reveal: Many-Pillared Hall.
Total threat: 2
Place 3 progress on Ancient Guardroom, exploring it.
Place 4 progress on stage 2B (4/9).
Response (ETH #1). Name "Attachment." Discard Gandalf's Staff (add to hand).
Top Card: A Good Harvest
A fantastic card to see with all of these expensive cards in my hand!
Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (3/10).
Travel Phase
Travel to Many-Pillared Hall.
Encounter Phase
Engage Moria Archer. Ready Sam.
Exhaust Shadowfax to ready Gandalf.
Combat Phase
Archery 2. Deal 1 damage to Miner of the Iron Hills (1/2). Deal 1 damage to Tree-Beard (1/5).
Deal shadow card to Moria Archer. Attacks! Frodo defends. Exhaust Sting. Discard: Moria Orc (threat: 2). Deal 2 damage to Moria Archer (2/3). Shadow: We Cannot Get Out (assign 1 damage to a character). Assign 1 damage to Treebeard (2/5). No damage dealt.
Gandalf + Aragorn declare an attack on Moria Archer, destroying it. Place 1 resource on stage 2B (3/3).
Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 36.
Round 6
Stage 3 is achieved, but The Balrog is just around the corner.
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (1), +1 Sam (2), +1 Aragorn (1), +1 Frodo (2), +1 Treebeard (1)
Draw: A Good Harvest
Top Card: Snowbourn Scout
Planning Phase
Play (from the top of deck): Snowbourn Scout (Gandalf -1). Place 1 progress on Many-Pillared Hall (1/6).
Top Card: Rear Guard
Play: Naith Guide (Sam -2). Choose Frodo to not exhaust to quest this round.
Quest Phase
Commit: Gandalf (3), Sam (6), Aragorn (2), Frodo (3; does not exhaust).
Total willpower:14
Response (Wingfoot): Name "Enemy."
Reveal:We Cannot Get Out (Assign 3 damage among characters). Assign 1 damage to Sam (2/3). Assign 1 damage to Treebeard (3/5). Assign 1 damage to Aragorn (1/5).
Total threat: 0
Place 5 progress on Many-Pillared Hall, exploring it.
Place 9 progress on stage 2B, clearing it.
Advance to stage 3A. Add The Great Bridge to the staging area. Reveal: Many-Pillared Hall. Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (2/10). Flip to side 3B.
Response (ETH #1): Name "Event." Discard: Rear Guard (add to hand).
Top Card: Ranger of Cardolan
Response (ETH #1). Name "Ally." Discard: Ranger of Cardolan (add to hand).
Top Card: Ranger of Cardolan
Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (1/10).
Travel Phase
Travel to The Great Bridge
No Engagements or Combat
Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 37.
Round 7
A Balrog is Come! And he takes out the first character of the quest (a Snowbourn Scout). And then he takes out the second character. This is going to happen a lot.
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (1), +1 Sam (1), +1 Aragorn (1), +1 Frodo (2), Treebeard (2)
Draw: Ranger of Cardolan
Top Card: Song of Kings
Planning Phase
Play: A Good Harvest. Name: "Leadership"
Play: Faramir (Gandalf -1, Aragorn -1, Frodo -2)
It was tough deciding to play A Good Harvest this round, or hold out for the next one to get Faramir + Gimli out. Wanting to get my maximum 5 progress on stage 3B each turn, I opt for Faramir now.
Quest Phase
Commit: Gandalf (3), Sam (6), Aragorn (2), Treebeard (2), Naith Guide (1).
Total willpower:14
Response (Wingfoot). Name "Enemy."
Reveal: They Are Comming! Doomed 2 (raise threat to 39). Shuffle encounter discard into deck. Discard: Darkened Stairway, Fool of a Took!, Grievous Wound, Moria Archer. Add Moria Archer to the staging area.
That was fitting treachery card.
Total threat: 3
Place 5 progress on The Great Bridge, exploring it and adding it to the victory display (9). Place 5 progress on stage 3B (5/15).
Response (ETH #1): Name "Attachment." Discard: Song of Kings (add to hand).
Top Card: Ancestral Knowledge
Response (ETH #2): Name "Event." Discard Ancestral Knowledge (add to hand).
Top Card: Steward of Gondor
Remove 1 damage token from Doom, Doom, Doom (0/10). Add The Balrog to the staging area. Engages the first player (ready Sam).
The Balrog attacks! Deal shadow card. Snowbourn Scout defends. Shadow: Shadow of Fear (defender does not count defense). Snowbourn Scout is destroyed.
Attach Overcome by Grief to Sam. Exhaust Sam.
Seven rounds in and I just lost my first character. Not too shabby.
Travel Phase
Travel to Many-Pillared Hall.
Encounter Phase
Engage Moria Archer.
Exhaust Shadowfax to ready Gandalf.
Combat Phase
Archery 2. Deal 2 damage to Faramir (2/3).
Deal shadow cards to The Balrog, Moria Archer.
Moria Archer attacks. Frodo defends. Exhaust Sting. Discard: They Are Coming! (no threat). Shadow: Darkened Stairway (no effect). No damage dealt.
The Balrog attacks. Miner of the Iron Hills defends. Shadow: Ancient Guardroom. Miner of the Iron Hills is destroyed.
Spend 2 of Treebeard's resources to ready him.
Gandalf + Treebeard declare an attack on Moria Archer, destroying it.
Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 40.
Round 8
The Balrog continues his destruction, now aided by and Uruk from Mordor.
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (1), +1 Sam (2), +1 Aragorn (1), +1 Frodo (1), +1 Treebeard (1)
Draw: Steward of Gondor
Top Card: Ancestral Knowledge
Planning Phase
Play: Steward of Gondor (Sam -2). Attach to Sam.
Exhaust Steward of Gondor +1 Sam (2).
Play: Naith Guide (Sam -2). Choose Frodo to not exhaust to quest this round.
Play: Gandalf's Staff (Gandalf -1, Aragorn -1). Attach to Gandalf.
Quest Phase
Commit: Gandalf (3), Sam (6), Aragorn (2), Frodo (3; does not exhaust), Treebeard (2)
Total willpower: 16
Response (Wingfoot): name "enemy."
Reveal: Uruk from Mordor. Makes an immediate attack. Deal shadow card. Frodo defends. Exhaust Sting. Discard: Overcome by Terror (no threat). Shadow: Moria Orc (raise threat by 1). Threat: 40. No damage dealt.
Ready Aragorn.
Response (ETH #1): name "Event." Discard Ancestral Knowledge (add to hand).
Top Card: Bombur
Response (ETH #2): name "Ally." Discard Bombur (add to hand).
Top Card: Word of Command.
Total threat:7
Exhaust Gandalf's Staff to add 1 resource to Frodo's pool (2).
Play: Frodo's Intuition (Frodo -2). Each hero gets +1 willpower. Draw (2): Word of Command, Ancestral Knowledge
Top Card: Good Meal
Updated willpower: 20
Place 6 progress on Many-Pillared Hall, exploring it. Place 5 progress on stage 3B.
Travel Phase
No Travel.
Exhaust Shadowfax to ready Gandalf.
Encounter Phase
Engaged by Uruk from Mordor.
Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to The Balrog, Uruk from Mordor.
The Balrog attacks. Naith Guide #2 defends. Shadow: Many-Pillared Hall (+2 attack). Naith Guide is destroyed.
Uruk from Mordor attacks. Naith Guide defends. Shadow: Deep Fissure (no effect). Naith Guide is destroyed.
Woops! Forgot to have the Balrog attack at the end of the quest phase. We'll say Faramir met his end at the hand of one of these enemies. The Uruk would have taken 3 additional damage from Gandalf + Aragorn, priming him to be wiped out by Sting next round (if combat had happened).
Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 41.
Round 9
Fancy footwork in the planning phase scores me a massive willpower boost that takes the stage by storm. The game is won, but at the cost of a four-burden addition to my campaign pool.
Resource Phase
+1 Gandalf (1), +1 Sam (1), +1 Aragorn (1), +1 Treebeard (2)
Draw: Good Meal
Top Card: Envoy of Pelagir
Exhaust Steward of Gondor. +2 Sam (3).
Planning Phase
Play (from top of deck): Envoy of Pelagir (Gandalf -1, Sam -1). Add 1 resource to Sam's pool (3).
Top Card: Sword that was Broken.
Exhaust Gandalf's Staff to ad Sword That Was Broken to hand.
Top Card: Bill the Pony
Play: Sword that was Broken (Sam -3). Attach to Aragorn.
Play: Word of Command (Aragorn -1). Exhaust Gandalf. Search deck and add Frodo's Intuition to hand. Shuffle.
Top Card: Quickbeam
Exhaust Shadowfax to ready Gandalf.
Play: Good Meal. Attach to Frodo.
Play: Frodo's Intuition (discard Good Meal). All heroes get +1 willpower. Draw (2): Quickbeam, Rear Guard
Play: Quickbeam (Treebeard -2). Deal 1 damage to Quickbeam to ready him.
Quest Phase
Commit: Gandalf (5), Sam (8), Aragorn (4), Frodo (5), Treebeard (3), Quickbeam (3)
Total willpower: 28
Reveal: Moria Archer. Deal 1 damage to Quickbeam (2/3).
Total threat: 6
Place 5 progress on stage 3B, clearing it and winning the game!
Final Scoring
8 Completed Rounds x10: 80
Ending Threat: 41
Total Damage on Heroes: 7 (4 Gandalf, 2 Sam, 1 Aragorn)
Threat of Defeated Heroes: 0
Victory Display: -9
Total Score: 129
Campaign Resolution
Burden: Overcome by Grief (setup)
Burden: Grievous Wound (setup)
Burden:Pursued by the Enemy (shuffle)
Burden: Shadow of Fear (shuffle)
Phew. That is going to hurt later on! As well as necessitate a Conditional Attachment focus in future decks.
Previous Campaign Resolutions
Boon: Mr. Underhill attached to Frodo Baggins
Boon: Noble Hero attached to Sam Gamgee
Boon: Anduril, Mithril Shirt, Sting, Glamdring
Burden: Gandalf's Delay (setup)
Burden: Overcome by Terror (shuffle)
The Recap
The emotional feeling of the actual play-through has a major impact on how I view the quest. I didn't really care for my deck this time around, so that takes a bit of a shine away from Journey in the Dark. But would that have mattered? There was variation here (three ways to take on The Balrog resulting in two possible campaign resolutions) and the tricks of the encounter deck (Mines of Moria!!!) were enjoyable during my second run-through. I do take issue with quest elements that are fully up to the randomization of the deck and not player skill. In this one, it is waiting for three enemies to come out before you can advance past the second stage. There are player cards to deal with this (Shadow of the Past, A Light in the Dark), but it is a bit frustrating for the average deck.
Final verdict: Not going down as a favorite quest, but not a terrible one. Something to go up against with decks that do all things really well.
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